The fourth edition of S|Style sustainable style, the special project dedicated to the pioneers of eco-responsible menswear, presented ten international, ethical, and inclusive brands on the occasion of Pitti Uomo 101.
N Palmer
Nicholas Palmer, a 2018 graduate of the Central Saint Martins' MA Fashion Programme, launched his eponymous brand in the summer of 2020. N Palmer explores repurposing vintage fabrics through innovative textile techniques and contemporary design. In his designs, he pays attention to an understanding of construction and to the history of the vintage pieces he uses within his garments. Before launching his own label, Palmer gained experience working with designers including Ralph Lauren, John Varvatos and Coach.
Ksenia Schnaider
The designer family duo, Ksenia and Anton Schnaider, began their brand story in 2011. The masterminds behind the brand are constantly working hand in hand- creating fashion pieces combining reworked materials, perfect cut, Eastern European cultural quotes and spicing it up with some innovative digital concepts. In 2021 is partnering with Marine Conservation Society to preserve marine biodiversity and won Best Fashion Awards 2021 in Ucraine.
Waste Yarn Project
The knitwear brand, which is based in Paris, was established in 2020 by Siri Johansen. The brand uses left over yarns from previous production to create one-of-a-kind knitwear. The shape of each Waste Yarn Project garment is thoughtfully designed but each garment has a different combination of yarn and colours, always determined by the supply of surplus yarns. Siri Johansen is a Norwegian knitwear designer that lives and works in Paris. She graduated from Royal College of Art in 2008 with an MA in men’s Knit- wear. From there she went to work for the British fashion house Burberry, where she designed men’s knitwear for three years under Christopher Bailey. After a period working for Pringle of Scotland, in 2013, she was headhunted to Paris to work with Humberto Leon and Carol Lim on their collections for Kenzo; first responsible for all men’s knit, before she took over as Head of Knitwear in 2016.
Maxime
Maxime was founded by theFrench designer Maxime Fruit with the aspiration to translate the interior design universe onto the modern menswear wardrobe. Focusing on exceptional fabrics, subtle detailing and simplistic silhouettes, the brand proposes a controlled assembly of practical, timeless pieces with an artful versatility. After obtaining a Bachelor degree in Fashion, Luxury and Art de vivre’s management, Maxime has multiplied his experiences for the past 9 years by working as Development & Production Manager at several worldwide renown brands such as Damir Doma, Vetements, Yang Li And A-Cold- Wall*. During all these years, Maxime has developed a particular product sensibility that he is now applying onto the Maxime's menswear wardrobe.
Figure Decorative
Figure Decorative is a fashion label that specializes in outerwear, ready- to-wear and leather goods. The project was born in 2020 with the purpose of offering the highest quality Italian craftsmanship with a contemporary, unisex and international twist. Each item is 100% hand-made, produced and manufactured in Tuscany. Figure Decorative chooses the premium quality leather from Tuscan tanneries that means: traceability, certified control, recycled water from the producing process. Key items are genderless hand-made clogs, puffer jackets, jackets, bucket hats, bags.
Umoja
Umoja is a brand established in 2015. Umòja, means “unity” in Swahili, is an approach that combines artisanal expertise and textile innovation in an attempt to provide green alternatives, to look for solutions and bridge the gap between the different skills and expertise. Umoja doesn’t use synthetic materials nor plastic or recycled plastic nor chemicals or metals. The label replaces them with 100% plant-based raw materials, which are totally environmentally friendly: organic cotton, linen, hemp and hevea milk from the rubber plant. Raw, natural or dyed materials with plants and minerals without chemicals, and 100 % handcrafted.
Junk
Junk is an eyewear brand that uses only regenerated plastic. The brand was born as a “Plastic Rehab” project. All their glasses both opticals and sunglasses are entirely made with recovered plastic waste nylon coming from plastic waste. Junk glasses are made of econyl®, regenerated nylon made out of waste that’s been rescued from landfills and oceans around the world. The polymer is entirely regenerated from waste materials (100% recycled). It performs exactly the same as brand new nylon and it can be recycled, recreated and remoulded again The production is entirely Made in Italy.
Philip Huang
Founded in Brooklyn by Philip Huang and Chomwan Weeraworawit in 2016, Philip Huang produces clothing that combine Thai tradition with contemporary design to create versatile modern clothing with an artisanal touch. Using plant-based natural dyes, organic fibers, hand-made textiles and accessories, such as the Indigo plants.
Curious Grid
Curious Grid, is a Unisex clothing brand created through the visionary journey of love for old vintage things. The brand uses upcycling stocks of fabric pieces, yarns from the mills into fashion which is modern and classic. With the use of traditional techniques of weaving to finding interest in styles of workwear from earlier times. The brand creates unique pieces, due to limited stocks obtained from the artisanal production. Designer Sheetal Shah combines her Indian roots with European influences.
Provincia Studio
Provincia is a genderless brand founded in June 2020 by Serena Novello, who is the creative director. Serena graduated in Fashion Design at the IUAV Design Schools in Venice, after she attended Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium. She collaborated in the following years with Caterina Gatta, in 2016 she moved to Paris to work for Schiaparelli in the Haute Couture team where she will remain for two years assisting the then Creative Director Bertrand Guyon. She moved back to Veneto to start her career as a fashion design consultant and collaborates with Yang Li, Fyodor Golan, Linder and Maison Margiela MM6. Her brand Provincia Studio uses primarly deadstock fabrics with handmade craftsmanship.
Courtesy image of Ksenia Schnaider
